


How Darkness Falls

by Sunburst223



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, The Phantom Apprentice was so good you guys.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23834800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunburst223/pseuds/Sunburst223
Summary: “I will help you. But you must answer one question.”“You have but to ask.” She tried to ignore the shudder she felt at the look of glee that passed over the glow of his hideous eyes.“Who is Darth Sidious?”AU where Ahsoka asked Maul a different question and everything changed.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul & Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 18
Kudos: 193





	1. Prologue

Glass shards flew across the room as the window broke. The sounds of battle, of the men and women dying below, filled the stale air of the throne room as Ahsoka considered the man standing across from her. Maul’s hand was stretched out toward her in an offer she knew couldn’t possibly work in her favor. Everything about him was revolting to Ahsoka. The smug look on his face, the mad glint in his yellow eyes, the horrid stench of the dark side permeating the air around him.

_Reject his offer! You know he’s manipulating you!_ her mind screamed. The rational part of herself she knew she should listen to. Ahsoka knew of his reputation all too well. Maul had killed hundreds of people, including civilians. He had murdered Obi-Wan’s former Master. By all rights, her sabers should have already been drawn. And yet there was a nagging feeling in the back of her consciousness, a small voice that wouldn’t go away. One that begged her to listen.

Maul was a Sith, and he seemingly knew more about Darth Sidious than the Jedi did. His knowledge could be invaluable, and she knew he wouldn’t come willingly to speak to the Council. There was something else as well. A strange feeling of dread and nausea in the Force she couldn’t describe. It lingered in the background like a festering wound that wouldn’t heal. She didn’t know what it meant other than something horrible was lurking under the surface. If it was tied to Sidious, to Maul’s knowledge of him, she could be losing valuable time. She had to know more.

Going against every instinct her body was screaming at her, she swallowed down any sense of caution or doubt she had as she opened her mouth to speak. “I will help you. But you must answer one question.”

“You have but to ask.” She tried to ignore the shudder she felt at the look of glee that passed over the glow of his hideous eyes.

“Who is Darth Sidious?”

Maul barked out a laugh in response. “Of course, the Jedi don’t know the mastermind lurks right under their nose. Fools. Sidious is none other than the head of your doomed Republic, Chancellor Palpatine.”

Ahsoka felt all the air in her lungs escape as her breathing halted. “What did you say?” she whispered, so low that she wasn’t even sure if Maul had heard her. It didn’t even matter if he had. Her mind was swimming too much to comprehend any reply he gave. Palpatine was Darth Sidious. The orchestrator of the Clone Wars. She always knew something had felt off about Palpatine from the few times she had met the man. Ahsoka had always respected Anakin’s friendship with the Chancellor. He had always been there for her former Master seemingly when he needed it most. She knew that spying on him would weigh heavily on Anakin once Obi-Wan informed her of the Council’s plan. But she couldn’t deny that she had always found the man too disconcertingly friendly, like a predator sizing up its prey before it moved in for the kill. She never could have imagined this.

And then another jolt struck her, a realization so sickening she thought she might vomit. Anakin was in terrible danger. He had no way of knowing who Palpatine really was, what he may want with him. Ahsoka could only assume that Palpatine wanted Anakin as his apprentice now that Dooku was dead. She knew Anakin too well to believe he would ever accept such an offer. But she didn’t doubt that Sidious would kill him in response. She had to save him, save everyone.

Much as she wanted to believe that Maul was merely a raving lunatic, she couldn’t ignore his words or the way the Force screamed at her. So, putting aside the way her mind still screamed at her to say no, she stepped forward toward Maul’s outstretched hand and grasped it. She tried to ignore the feeling she was betraying everything and everyone she held dear. And the look in Maul’s eyes. The giddy look of a madman that would haunt her dreams. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I cranked this sucker out really fast after watching the latest Clone Wars episode. The Phantom Apprentice was phenomenal by the way. If you haven't watched it, go do that. The duel between Ahsoka and Maul was worth watching the episode for that alone. But the scene where Maul tried to entice Ahsoka to join him really stood out to me. She almost accepted his offer too. But any plans Maul may have had regarding a team-up between the two (Let's be honest, it wouldn't be anything good. It's Maul.) evaporated the second he mentioned his plans to kill Anakin. And understandably so. Though Ahsoka's faith in Anakin is honestly heartbreaking, since we know Maul is right. I wanted to see what would happen if Ahsoka asked a somewhat different question, keeping Maul's plans of killing Anakin a secret from her for a while longer. So I wrote this bad boy. I don't know if it's really any good. It's certainly not as polished as I'd like. But I wanted to get it out while I still had the inspiration. I'd like to maybe turn it into a full fledged story, but I really don't know if I should. So any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!


	2. Extending a Branch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maul stares a lot and Ahsoka reaches out to a friend.

The pair descended from the decaying splendor of the palace’s throne room. The whole palace reeked of a false sense of serenity, in fact. The glittering walls of glass, art that lined their path, and spotless floors hid the death and destruction happening just outside. In its heyday, under the purview of Duchess Satine’s leadership, it had been a beautiful place. Ahsoka hadn’t always agreed with the older woman’s ideals of pacifism, as she recognized that violence was an unfortunate necessity in times such as these. But she had respected Satine’s dedication to her beliefs, a rare thing in this galaxy of greed and endless lies. Though Ahsoka hadn’t known her well, she had felt sadness at the news of her passing. She knew what Satine had meant to Obi-Wan, and even Bo, as well. She tried to squash the guilt she felt that the man who had murdered the Duchess was trailing right behind her.

Maul hadn’t spoken at all in the past few minutes and neither had she. It wasn’t a companionable silence. Ahsoka could feel Maul’s eyes boring into the back of her head. He felt like a Loth cat waiting to pounce. What he was sizing her up for she couldn’t say, but it made her feel intensely uncomfortable. She needed to break the awkward atmosphere, or she felt she would go crazy. Halting her descent, Ahsoka glanced over her shoulder to see Maul looking at her with an expression she couldn’t quite describe. He looked both wistful and apprehensive, his eyes both looking at her and not. “What?” she asked.

“Hm?” Maul halted his steps as well, and his eyes locked on hers.

“You’ve been staring at back of my head for the past five minutes. It’s kind of creepy,” she said as she fully turned around to face him. She crossed her arms and waited for his reply. He simply stood, almost as if he were unsure of what to say. Ahsoka huffed and tried to not roll her eyes. “Well, if you’re not going to tell me why you’re staring at me, can you at least give me anything of use regarding Sidious’ plans? We’re going to need to plan.”

At this, Maul looked as though he had been caught. “My master never kept me informed of the finer workings of his plans. I had hoped he would eventually inform me before I eventually outgrew my need for him, but he never did,” Maul muttered, his face twisting into a bitter mask. His nose wrinkled in distaste at his apparent status as a mere pawn. Though Maul’s apparent anger was the farthest thing from Ahsoka’s mind right then.

She froze as this information sank in. _Turn back. No good will come from this._ The little voice in the back of her mind was coming back with a vengeance. How could Maul have no information on Sidious’ plans? The only reason she even agreed to this insane idea in the first place was because of her belief that Maul would know what Sidious was up to. How could he help her now? “How can you not know _anything_?” she hissed, as she uncrossed her arms. Her hands curled into fists at her side.

Maul simply smiled at this display of her anger. The smarmy look made her blood boil. “Come now, we know all we need to. Sidious intends to replace the current order with a new one. The finer workings of how are irrelevant. We simply need to find him.”

“And do what, exactly? Nicely ask for a lovely afternoon tea party? We don’t know where he is, and even if we do find him, he’s bound to be protected. We need a plan. I can’t just take your word for it.”

Maul narrowed his eyes at this, clearly displeased Ahsoka wasn’t willing to blindly follow his direction. Frankly, she couldn’t care less what he thought about her. “I have resources we can use to plan our approach,” he stated coolly. He was clearly trying to sound less frustrated than he truthfully was. Now it was Ahsoka who wanted to wrinkle her nose in displeasure. The thought of working with Maul’s criminal network was revolting to her. They had been involved in everything from murder to slavery. And combined with the monster standing in front of her, it all made her skin prickle with a strong sense of wanting to wash off how unclean she felt.

And yet, she had little other choice. Who else could she turn to? Anakin was in danger, and Obi-Wan was out of reach. The Jedi Council wouldn’t listen. Bo was a helpful ally, but Ahsoka knew she wouldn’t listen either. Not after Maul had murdered her sister. As utterly useless as his current information was and repugnant as the thought of working with him was, it was true that Maul was the only one who could offer her any sort of help. Unless….

Ahsoka couldn’t believe she was thinking of this. It wasn’t like Rex would offer any additional help. He was just one man, and she had no guarantees he would even listen. Nor that Maul wouldn’t kill him. But Maul hadn’t killed Jesse, a move that surprised her. Darth Maul wasn’t known for his mercy, as she knew he had killed a whole village of civilians just to lure Obi-Wan. Ahsoka had been expecting Maul to strangle Jesse or impale him or kill him in some other gruesome fashion when she, Bo, and Rex had walked into the throne room and saw him kneeling across the way. And yet, Maul had spared Jesse’s life when he easily could have ended it.

Ahsoka knew there hadn’t been any empathy in the act. A man like Maul was incapable of such a thing. It had obviously just been a move to get on her good side, to get her to listen. But it had worked. And maybe, Maul would extend the same logic to Rex. She knew that involving Rex in this would be putting him in terrible danger. He would be at the mercy of Maul’s discretion. But Ahsoka also knew she was selfish, that she couldn’t live with the oldest friend she had in her reach possibly hating her for what she was doing. So, she ignored the little voice in her head, her voice of reason telling her involving Rex would just get him killed. Finally, she broke the silence.

“There’s someone I need to talk to before we leave.”

“Who?” Maul raised an eyebrow. “We have all the resources we need at our disposal.”

“A friend. I’m not leaving without him.” Ahsoka placed her hands on her hips.

“You mean the clone. He is of no use to our goals.” Maul waved his hand at her dismissively, as if she a mere child. Her eye twitched.

“I said I’m not leaving without him. If you want my help, he comes with.” Ahsoka would not budge on this. Rex meant too much to her. Maul looked at her like a snake waiting to strike. He clearly was not expecting her to have been so spirited, so defiant. If he wanted a blind lackey, he had been looking in the wrong place.

After a moment of silence, Maul pursed his lips slightly, as if he were thinking. Finally, he spoke. “Very well, we can meet with your dear friend. If nothing else, it will prove to you the futileness of it.” Ahsoka didn’t respond to the jab.

“You won’t kill him if he doesn’t listen. If you do, you won’t have my help going forward. Understand?” Ahsoka said. Maul simply grinned in response. The man’s moods seemed to fluctuate faster than a summer rainstorm. It was deeply unsettling. But with Maul’s agreement, she slowly lifted one arm in front of her and brought her other hand to hover above her comlink. She ignored the way Maul’s eyes bored into her, silently mocking her hesitance. She resisted the urge to punch him. Despite her earlier resolve, she was still having second thoughts. But then, an image came to her of Rex wondering what happened to her. Or worse, hating her because she hadn’t talked to him. Without another word, she made sure her comlink was set to Rex’s frequency and pressed her finger to the button.

“Rex, are you there?”

“Commander? It’s been a while. Are you alright? Have you captured Maul?” Rex asked, his gruff voice emanating from the device on her wrist. Rex’s tone was formal, as it always was. Captain Rex was a man who stuck to protocol like his life depended on it. He had even insisted on still calling Ahsoka “Commander”, despite her insistence it was okay for him to address her by name. For Rex, showing proper protocol to a superior, to an old friend, was the deepest sign of respect. But he wasn’t a robot either. A sense of concern was evident as well, for her wellbeing. Ahsoka would be touched if not for the circumstances.

“I’m fine, Rex. I need to talk to you. Alone. There’s an abandoned hospital not too far from the palace. Sundari Memorial, I think. Do you remember? The 501st helped evacuate it. It’s about two blocks east.”

“I remember. Commander, what’s going on?” A sense of skepticism had entered his tone now.

“Rex, please. I need you to trust me,” Ahsoka pleaded. _Please trust me._ A beat followed, and for a second Ahsoka was sure Rex would send a squad of clones or Mandalorians after her.

“Okay, Commander. I’ll meet you where you asked. But I don’t like this,” Rex said finally, a note of apprehension evident.

“Thanks, Rexter.” Ahsoka heaved a sigh of relief. She gazed up from her comlink to see Maul staring at her again. “Can you please stop doing that? It’s weirding me out.”

Maul shrugged. “Your need to plea with someone lesser than you is… intriguing,” he simply said in response. Ahsoka rolled her eyes, and simply gestured for him to follow her.

“Come on, let’s get going. We need to get moving before people start wondering where I am.”

“After you, then.” A part of her still told her this was a terrible idea. But she had to ignore it. For Rex and for the greater good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is shorter than I originally intended. The stress of upcoming finals and writer's block forced me to chop the first chapter into two. As such, this chapter is on the shorter side. It's also been a while, and I wanted to get something out to tide you guys over. Next chapter will include the meeting with Rex. Also, that finale, you guys. That was some of the best storytelling the show and Star Wars in general has ever done. When Jesse's helmet came into view like that, I welled up. Which is a first for me regarding this franchise. And Vader. Hoo boy, I got chills. I'm sad to see such a formative part of my childhood finally come to an end, but I'm glad the show got the end it deserved after so many years.


	3. Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ahsoka tries to convince Rex her plan isn't totally crazy. And things go a bit south.

After fifteen minutes of walking along war torn streets, trying her best not to internally gag at the strange sense of despair still lingering in the Force, Ahsoka felt about ready to tear Maul’s arms off. She’d never felt this aggravated toward someone who wasn’t even speaking to her, but everything about his presence irked her. His nauseating presence in the Force pressed on her, like it wanted to swallow her own essence whole. And she could still feel his damn yellow eyes staring at the back of her head. Ahsoka grit her teeth, trying to avoid her irrational urge to swing around and wallop Maul right in his stupid face and retreated into the walls of her mind. Really, she just wanted to mentally focus on anything else to make the rest of this walk more bearable.

Not that there was anything positive to focus on to begin with. She couldn’t admire the glittering spires and towers Sundari was famous for, as all there was to look at was a dead city of debris and shattered lives. The inhabitants had long since been evacuated in yet another upending of their lives, a story far from unique in this blasted war. And Ahsoka didn’t need to be reminded about the guilt she still felt over the people she had played a part in uprooting. Mentally striking that off the list, she also knew she couldn’t retreat into the usual warm embrace of the Force either.

Ordinarily an extension of her senses that was as normal to her as breathing, Ahsoka had always marveled at the Force’s ability to make her whole world come alive with vibrant color and feeling. There was something beautiful in sensing the life force of all living things, the ways they all thrummed and intertwined with one another. It was like a complex tapestry of shared experiences and struggles. Even in her darkest days of self-doubt after she had left the Order, the sensations of life she felt around her had been her crutch. But now, that warm blanket of life felt diseased. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the death that had permeated in the background of the Force ever since the war had started, Darth Sidious preparing to strike, or both.

Ahsoka also had no desire to linger too long on Rex. She was dreading revealing her bizarre arrangement to her old friend. Ahsoka knew Rex was loyal to a fault. After all, she was plenty aware he had believed in her innocence after she was falsely accused of killing his brothers and bombing the Jedi Temple. Even if he hadn’t been able to outwardly support her or even outright stated it, his actions since her return had spoken volumes. The quiet support, the old rapport they had fallen back into so easily. While they had never been as close as her and Anakin had been, she had still missed him dearly after her departure. And here she was, set to show up right in front of him with their enemy. A man who had slaughtered his brothers no less. Would be this too much? The straw that finally broke Rex’s stalwart loyalty? Ahsoka bit her lip as she narrowly avoided stepping on broken glass, no longer wanting to dwell on that line of thinking.

Really, Ahsoka’s one bit of solace in all her depressed musings that she had told herself she was going to avoid, but apparently sucked at not indulging in, was the warmth of her bond with her old Master. That tie in the Force had once been a shining beacon in her mind, a sign of her closeness with the man who had become like an older brother to her. She had sadly let it atrophy after her departure from the Order, now nothing more than a symbol of pain over what she had left behind. But it had never fully faded, always lingering in the back of her mind. Perhaps a sign of Anakin’s strength in the Force, their ties to each other, or both. She had no longer been able to sense Anakin’s mood through their bond, nor could she sense him as strongly as she once had. But it had always reassured her he was still alive, no matter how far apart they had become. Ever since their reunion, that old Force bond had felt just that bit stronger. Anakin was still a blazing light in the Force, and that brought Ahsoka hope that all was not yet lost.

Ahsoka was abruptly shaken from her thoughts as the shadow of the hospital came into view. Once state of the art, she tried to ignore the ache in her chest at the sight of the broken windows and complete lack of life in the building. Her one solace was that all the patients and staff had been safely evacuated. Slowing her pace as they got closer to the building, Ahsoka held up a hand behind her to signal Maul to stop. His brow furrowed in confusion as she did so, but he complied with little word. She had expected more of his complaining at being ordered about, but she’d take any precious second she could where he wasn’t flapping his gums. Raising her arm, she pressed the button on her wrist comm. “Rex, are you there?” she asked.

“Yeah, Commander. I’m here. Before you, apparently. You gonna leave me hanging?” he replied, the mirth in his voice welcome despite the circumstances. Ahsoka gave a small smile.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Rexter. I’m right outside. Where are you?”

“In the foyer. Figured that would be an easy spot for the both of us to find.”

“I like the way you think, Rex. I’ll be right inside.” Ahsoka lifted her head and shifted her gaze to Maul. “I need you to stay out here for a minute. He’ll react better if I go in alone.” Maul huffed and rolled his eyes in response.

“You test my patience. Hurry up and go meet the clone. The faster you do, the faster we can leave this place,” he replied petulantly. Walking beneath the awning of the entrance, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. Fighting the urge to also roll her eyes, Ahsoka turned her back on Maul and walked through the ajar double doors and into the austere building. Glancing around her, Ahsoka was impressed at the Mandalorians’ sense of both functionality and beauty. Glittering glass floors paired with stark white walls gave the space a distinct sense of the building’s function but gave it a bit of flair, nonetheless. In the middle of the room, the ceiling formed a beautiful glass dome, sadly shattered by the shelling that had inflicted the city. Careful to avoid the shattered glass all over the floor, Ahsoka was relieved to see Rex leaning on a wall across the room. Noticing her presence at the same time, the two began walking toward each other. As soon as they met in the middle, Rex removed his helmet.

“So, you going to tell me what this is about?” he asked.

“Before I do, you have to promise me you’re not going to freak out. You’re one of my oldest friends, Rex. I need your help with this,” Ahsoka pleaded. She knew she sounded strange, and it reflected in how Rex’s brow crinkled in confusion.

“Why would I freak out, Commander? Did you eat a loth-cat whole or something?” he asked. She couldn’t help but crack a small at that, but it faded as quickly as it came on.

“If only. No, Rex. I’m afraid this is going to make me look absolutely insane. But I’m asking you to please listen and then judge. Please,” she begged. Rex sighed and nodded, despite the apprehension Ahsoka could sense in the Force. “Alright. I’ll be right back,” she said. Sprinting across the foyer, she poked her head out of the entrance upon arrival. “Alright, you can come in. No funny stuff.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Maul sneered. He straightened himself upright and walked into the foyer. Immediately, Rex put his helmet back on and drew his twin pistols.

“What is he doing here?” he demanded. Maul flashed his ugly teeth at Rex in a grin, as if the thought of a clone threatening to shoot him was little more than an amusing thought. Ahsoka rushed to stand in the way before either of them did something stupid, her hands up in front of her.

“Rex, wait. You promised you wouldn’t freak out.” Rex stilled for a moment before reluctantly lowering his pistols, albeit not holstering them.

“Explain,” he said in a terse voice. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ahsoka plowed on with her admittedly insane sounding explanation.

“He knows who Darth Sidious is, Rex. He’s the Chancellor. Maul has resources, can give us the means to fight him. Please, Rex. I can’t do this without you.”

Rex’s shoulders tensed at this revelation, though what exactly he was thinking Ahsoka couldn’t tell. Perhaps it was disbelief, shock over his whole existence having been a lie, maybe both. Anything in between. With a strained voice, he replied. “Even if that’s true, why turn to him of all people, Ahsoka? What about the Jedi Council? General Skywalker? They’re far more trustworthy than _him_ ,” Rex spat, gesturing his arm in Maul’s direction.

“There’s no time, Rex. Something is coming. I can feel it in the Force. Sidious is about to strike, and we need to act now. We don’t have the time to deal with the politicking and debates of the Council,” she replied but then hesitated. “And… Anakin. Anakin may be in danger from Sidious.” Rex stilled at this.

“What do you mean?”

“You know Anakin is close with the Chancellor, Rex. I’m worried he might be trying to sway Anakin or kill him if he refuses. I… I can’t let that happen to him. I won’t. We need to act now. And I need someone I can trust”, she said. Closing the gap between them, Ahsoka placed a hand on Rex’s shoulder. “I’m only asking for your help, Rex. If you say no, I’ll understand. I know what he’s done, that this all sounds utterly crazy. But I want someone I can trust with me, and you’re the only one here I can turn to.”

Lowering his head, Rex appeared to be deep in thought. She wished she could see his face beneath his helmet, but she’d have to make do with the way his tense body relaxed ever so slightly beneath her hand. After another silent moment Rex lifted his head and nodded. “Alright. I don’t like this one bit, but I trust you. Him, on the other, hand is a different story,” Rex stated, gesturing his head in Maul’s direction.

“Trust is not required, clone. Now if you two are quite finished, we had best be going,” Maul huffed in impatience, turning to leave. Ahsoka also turned to leave when it suddenly felt as if something had struck her in the chest. Stumbling in her steps, she pressed a hand to her head. Anakin. Something was very wrong. The Force howled as the light in her bond with Anakin withered. There were faint voices she could barely make out, both here and somewhere else. Ahsoka was dimly aware of a hand on her shoulders, Rex off to her side in concern, anything he said sounding like it was underwater. Maul stock still in front of them, his eyes wide with an uncharacteristic fear. Clearly sensing the same disturbance she was. The garbled voices of a faraway place drowned out all else, sounding vaguely like Anakin, Windu, and the Chancellor. A single clear and desperate cry of “What have I done?” And then the bond flooded with a darkness she could scarcely describe, like it had consumed Anakin’s soul. Right before the link slammed shut.

“Anakin,” she whispered, blinking back tears. She still wasn’t totally clear what had happened, but she didn’t need to be. She could feel the darkness in the Force continuing to grow. Either Anakin was dead or fallen. The outcome of both was the same.

“Ahsoka, what was that?” Rex asked frantically.

“Anakin. Something terrible has happened,” she replied, still somewhat out of it.

“Then you felt it too,” Maul said, sounding almost haunted. Ahsoka merely nodded. Off to her side, Rex had suddenly tensed.

“Hold on, I’m getting a comm call.” The next few seconds passed in a blur. In one, Rex had briefly stepped off to the side to hear some message she couldn’t in his helmet. The next, it felt like her world was shattering all over again when a pair of twin pistols were suddenly trained on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *pokes head out of corner* Hello, there. Been a while. Writing this took way longer than it should have. I was experiencing the worst writer's block imaginable. But it's done. I don't know if I'm fully satisfied with it, but I just wanted to get it out. And yes, the chapter title is a direct reference to the episode of the same name. I felt like it was still an appropriate title for what occurs at the end, despite the different circumstances. I'll try to get the next chapter out faster than this one, but I do have the next college semester starting up here, so I'll be limited in the amount of time I can write. Cheers, everyone!


End file.
